Evacuated bottle system

Abstract

An evacuated bottle system including a bottle defining a hollow interior, the bottle having a neck with a rim defining an opening; a cap assembly supported on the bottle, the cap assembly including a funnel having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being insertable within the interior of the bottle and the second portion engaging a portion of the bottle to support the funnel above the rim, the funnel defining a bore that fluidly communicates with the hollow interior of the bottle; a self-sealing membrane that covers the bore formed by the funnel to selectively seal the hollow interior of the bottle; a cap attachable to the bottle, the cap including a cover portion that extends at least partially over the self-sealing membrane to restrain movement thereof, the cover portion being axially spaced from the self-sealing membrane to define a gap that permits axial movement of the self-sealing membrane to selectively open the bottle to fluid communication outside of the bottle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cap assembly configured to be coupled to a neck of a bottle, the cap assembly comprising:
 a self-sealing membrane having a first portion configured to be insertably received within the neck of the bottle and a second portion extending radially outward relative to the first portion and configured to cover a mouth of the bottle when the first portion is inserted in the neck; and 
 a cap that is configured to fit over the self-sealing membrane, and includes a cover portion that includes an annular wall that defines a central opening, and at least one evacuating opening is located radially outward of the central opening, wherein the cover portion defines a gap above the self-sealing membrane to allow the first portion of the self-sealing membrane to be at least partially displaced from the neck of the bottle when a suction is applied to the cap, wherein 
 the cap assembly is configured to selectively allow fluid communication between the interior of the bottle and an outside atmosphere when the suction is applied to the cap. 
 
     
     
       2. The cap assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cover portion defines three evacuating openings circumferentially spaced from each other and located on a common circle that overlies a perimeter of the self-sealing membrane. 
     
     
       3. The cap assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a funnel having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the funnel configured to be insertable within the neck of the bottle and the second portion configured to engage a portion of the bottle to support the funnel above a rim of the bottle, the second portion of the funnel includes a floor that extends radially outward relative to the first portion of the funnel and a second wall extending axially outward from the floor wherein
 the first portion of the self-sealing membrane is insertably received within the first portion of the funnel. 
 
     
     
       4. The cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein a perimeter of the self-sealing membrane contacts the second wall of the funnel. 
     
     
       5. The cap assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the cap further comprises a cap wall, an end of the cap wall extending axially inward of the second portion of the funnel, the cap wall defining an internal thread on an interior surface thereof. 
     
     
       6. A cap assembly configured to removeably attach to a bottle, comprising:
 a self-sealing membrane configured to be inserted into a neck of the bottle and cover a mouth of the bottle while inserted into the neck to selectively seal the interior of the bottle; and 
 a cap including a cover portion that extends at least partially over the self-sealing membrane, the cover portion includes a central opening and at least one evacuating opening located radially outward of the central opening, wherein the cover portion is axially spaced from the self-sealing membrane to define a gap that permits axial displacement of the self-sealing membrane within the neck of the bottle to selectively open the bottle to fluid communication outside of the bottle, and wherein the cap is configured to removeably attach to the neck of the bottle such that the cover portion extends completely over the mouth of the bottle. 
 
     
     
       7. The cap assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the self-sealing membrane includes:
 a first portion configured to be insertably received within the neck of the bottle; and 
 a second portion that extends radially outward relative to the first portion and is configured to reside over the mouth of the bottle while the first portion is inside the neck of the bottle. 
 
     
     
       8. The cap assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a tapered transition between the second portion of the serum stopper and the first portion of the serum stopper. 
     
     
       9. The cap assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first portion of the serum stopper includes a pair of legs spaced from each other by a gap. 
     
     
       10. The cap assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the cover portion includes a plurality of evacuating openings spaced radially outward from the central opening. 
     
     
       11. The cap assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one evacuating opening is located over at least a portion of a perimeter of the self-sealing membrane. 
     
     
       12. The cap assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the cover portion defines three evacuating openings located over at least a portion of a perimeter of the self-sealing membrane, the three evacuating openings are circumferentially spaced from each other and located on a common circle. 
     
     
       13. The cap assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the cap includes a wall extending axially inward relative to the cover portion and configured to overlay a portion of the neck, wherein the wall is configured to attach to the neck by threads formed thereon. 
     
     
       14. The cap assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising the bottle to which the cap assembly can removeably attach, wherein the bottle is constructed of a shatter resistant material. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14 , wherein the shatter resistant material is plastic or a medical grade plastic. 
     
     
       16. A cap assembly, comprising:
 a serum stopper configured to be positioned within a neck of a bottle, the serum stopper having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the serum stopper sized to fit within the neck of the bottle, and the second portion of the serum stopper having a self-sealing membrane that extends radially outwards relative to the first portion and is configured to reside over a mouth of the bottle while the first portion is inside the neck of the bottle; and 
 a cap having a cap wall sized to receive the serum stopper, wherein the cap includes a cover portion extending radially inward from the cap wall and over the serum stopper, the cover portion includes a central opening and at least one evacuating opening located radially outward of the central opening, wherein the cover portion is axially spaced from the serum stopper to define a gap that permits axial displacement of the serum stopper within the neck of the bottle to selectively open the bottle to fluid communication outside of the bottle, and wherein the cap is configured to removeably attach to the neck of the bottle such that the cover portion extends completely over the mouth of the bottle. 
 
     
     
       17. The cap assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the cap assembly removeably attaches to a threading on the neck of the bottle. 
     
     
       18. The cap assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first portion of the serum stopper includes a pair of legs. 
     
     
       19. The cap assembly of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the pair of legs includes at least one outward projection.